Coronal Mass Ejection

Coronal Mass Ejection

A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) is a significant release of plasma and magnetic field from the solar corona, the outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere. These ejections can occur after a solar flare or as a result of complex magnetic interactions on the Sun’s surface

The Sun emits a massive amount of material, including electrons, protons, and heavier ions, as well as magnetic fields, during a CME. This material is expelled at great speeds into space.

Causes:

• CMEs are typically caused by the Sun’s magnetic fields becoming unstable.
• The precise causes are unknown, although they frequently include the reconfiguration or rupture of magnetic loops on the Sun’s surface.
• CMEs are separate from solar flares, though they frequently occur in tandem. Solar flares are brief bursts of energy and radiation, whereas CMEs are caused by the evacuation of solar material.

Impact on Earth:

• Geomagnetic Storms: Geomagnetic storms can occur as a result of the interaction of the CME’s magnetic fields with the Earth’s magnetosphere. These have the potential to interfere with satellite communications, navigation systems, and even power grids.
• Auroras: By energizing particles in Earth’s atmosphere, CMEs can generate beautiful displays of the Northern and Southern Lights, popularly known as auroras.
• Radiation Risks: During a CME event, astronauts in space or passengers on high-altitude flights may be exposed to significant doses of radiation.

Important Solar Flare Facts:

• A solar flare is a powerful burst of radiation caused by the release of magnetic energy from sunspots.
• Flares are the most powerful explosive phenomena in our solar system.
• They appear as bright spots in the sun and can last anywhere from minutes to hours.
• They heat the material to many millions of degrees in a matter of minutes and emit a burst of radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum, including radio waves, x-rays, and gamma rays.
• Although solar flares can be seen in white light, their strong X-ray and ultraviolet emissions are generally more noticeable.
• The Impact of a Solar Flare on Earth: The powerful radiation emitted by a solar flare can interfere with satellite communications, distort radio transmissions, and even endanger humans in orbit.
• Furthermore, increasing solar radiation can generate geomagnetic storms, which can disrupt power systems and cause auroras (northern and southern lights) at lower latitudes.

What exactly is a geomagnetic storm?

• A geomagnetic storm is a significant disturbance in the magnetosphere of the Earth.
• These storms are caused by fluctuations in the solar wind, which cause large changes in the currents, plasmas, and fields in the Earth’s magnetosphere.
• Sustained (for several hours) periods of high-speed solar wind and a southward-directed solar wind magnetic field (against the direction of Earth’s field) near the dayside of the magnetosphere are effective for generating geomagnetic storms.
• The largest such storms are associated with solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs), where a billion tons or so of plasma from the sun, with its embedded magnetic field, arrives at Earth

Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC)

• Constituted in 2010 on the recommendation of Raghuram Rajan Committee (2008) on financial sector reforms
• To strengthen and institutionalise the mechanism for maintaining financial stability, enhancing inter-regulatory coordination and promoting financial sector development
• Not a statutory body
• No funds are separately allocated to the council for undertaking its activities
• chaired by the Union Finance Minister and FSDC sub-committee is headed by RBI governor
• The council can invite experts to its meeting if required
• Recently, Finance Minister chaired the 27th meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC).

Gangetic Dolphin

• It is a freshwater species and one of the few river dolphins found in the world.
• It inhabits the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh.
• Common Names: Blind dolphin, Ganges dolphin, Ganges susu, hihu, side-swimming dolphin, South Asian River Dolphin
• Scientific name: Platanista gangetica
• The Gangetic Dolphin has been recognized as India’s National Aquatic Animal.

  

• Description:
  • A long thin snout, rounded belly, stocky body and large flippers are characteristics of the Ganges River dolphin.
  • It feeds majorly on fishes and is are usually found in counter-current systems of the main river channel.
  • Its eyes lack lens, and as a result, this species is also referred to as the “blind dolphin”.
  • They have a highly developed bio-sonar system that facilitates them to hunt for fish even in murky waters.
  • Being a mammal, the Ganges River dolphin cannot breathe in the water and must surface every 30-120 seconds. Because of the sound it produces when breathing, the animal is popularly referred to as the ‘Susu’.
• Conservation status:
  • IUCN: Endangered
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act: Schedule-I
  • CITES: Appendix I